“Tomorrow, I’ll take you again and again and again. I’m going to make you scream my name and forget your own.”
Adam is a super-snuggler. All night he held me tightly, his body entwined with mine. Every time I moved a half-inch from him, he’d pull me closer. His warm breath on the back of my neck, his kisses on my shoulder, his hands caressing my skin like he couldn’t touch me enough—all combined in an effort to blow a hole through my defenses.
But I can’t let that happen.
And he wouldn’t want me to anyway.
I woke with Adam’s arms locked around me and a story swirling in my mind. The words have been running through my head since sometime in the wee hours of the morning. The characters chattered among themselves so loudly it was all I could do to stay put as long as I did.
I tiptoe from my bathroom, down the hall to my office.
I check the time on my phone. Dawn should break soon.
Once my computer is powered up, I pull up a fresh, new document. A brand new book.
So what if I’m starting from scratch and I have only a couple of weeks until my self-imposed deadline? I have to start this story, and I have to start it now.
I sink into my words as they flow from my creative center to my fingertips. They rush to fill page after page on the screen. And with every paragraph—every sentence, even—a weight seems to lift from my lungs.
I can breathe again.
Matt didn’t kill her—the author within me. His and Marcy’s betrayal and the hurt I went through didn’t strip me of my ability to write.
Thank God.
Witty dialogue between my hero and heroine makes me giggle as my fingers fly over the keys. The tap-tap-tapping is sweet music to my ears. I’ve desperately missed the cadence and notes of their rhythm over these last few months.
My pussy throbs, and I’m wet from imagining my hot hero doing all those dirty and luscious things to my heroine.
A soft knock at my office door pulls me out of the sexy scene I’ve been spinning for the last half hour.
“Yes?” I turn my chair to face the door.
Adam is stark naked, his cock long, hard, and ready. “You snuck out of bed.”
I grin and tilt the screen on my laptop so he can see the writing I’ve done. “The words—they’re back.”
He spins me toward the desk. One hand rests on the back of my chair. The other finds its way beneath my T-shirt to cup my tit, as though he’s staking his claim.
“Let’s see.” He kisses my temple as he leans over my shoulder, looking at the screen.
Oh shit, he’s actually reading it.
What if he thinks it’s stupid?
My hands fly to cover the screen. “No. No. No. You don’t want to read that.”
His forehead wrinkles. “What do you mean I don’t want to read it? I helped you get your words back, right?”
The very fact that he’s halfway interested in reading my words, brings a lump into my throat. Matt never read so much as one paragraph. He had no idea if I was any good at what I do or not. But I can’t let Adam get to me.
This isn’t for keeps.
I shrug. “Might’ve been you—or maybe I only had to wait for them, and the time finally came.”
He pushes the hair away from my neck and sucks on the place where my pulse beats. “Well, you came—we came—last night. Maybe that’s why they came.”
My hands fall away from my computer, and I lean back as he moves his mouth from my neck to my lips. His tongue sweeps in, and his minty taste wipes away my every thought, except how much I want to have him fucking me and holding me.
He finds my bare slit. “Do you ever wear panties?”
I open my legs for him and shake my head. “Only when I have to and on very special occasions.”
He slips two fingers along my crevice. “Fuck. You’re already dripping wet.”
“Writing sex scenes always gets my juices flowing, right along with my words.” My hands smooth the hair at his nape.
Adam’s low chuckle warms me.
God, how he makes me smile.
“I guess it’s a good thing I came in here, huh?”
I pull away, gazing into his eyes. “Why’s that?”
He drags me from my seat. Before I can take a deep breath, he pushes my computer aside, yanks my shirt over my head and tosses it to the floor, and bends me over the desk. The cool wood beads my nipples tight as my breasts flatten against it. The beveled edge of the desktop bites into the flesh across my pubic bone, putting a tiny bit of pressure on my clit. The pulse there thumps harder.
“To take care of your needs. Why else?”
Take care of my needs? Where did this man come from? Mars? Jupiter?
A hand is flat on my back, and the other slides between my ass cheeks to my pussy. Adam says in a husky voice, “You like it this way, right?”
The throb at the apex of my thighs triples.
I don’t care where he’s from, I’m just happy he’s here now.
The head of his erection nudges my heated core. “You want it now?”
I give a tiny nod.
He smooths a hand around my hip and wedges his fingers between me and the desk. First, he circles my bud, and then he gives it a light pinch.
I lick my lips, and anticipation thrums through me.
His cock pushes between my folds but stops before it breaches my entrance. “Now, Kelsey? Like this?”
“Don’t tease. Yes. I want it now. Just like this.”
In a single hard motion, he rams inside. With his hand still on my back, and the other twisting and massaging my nub, Adam pumps in and out of my pussy. Each thrust sends a spear of pleasure through my being.
His strokes are hard. They’re deep. And they’re long—so long.
My breath catches as his hand glides down my spine to my tailbone. Making tiny circles with his thumb, he gets closer and closer to my asshole. And tingles spread from that place to tighten the coil of hot liquid deep within me.
Fuck yes.
“I want you to come hard, Kelsey. As hard as my dick.” Adam presses that tight little hole until I buck.
He rides me, his cock in my cunt and his thumb orbiting the other place that feels so good when rubbed and filled. He moves one hand to my hip, where he pulls and pushes in time with the thrusts of his hips.
As he rams inside me, over and over, harder each time, I grab the opposite side of my desk. White-knuckling the wood, I lay my face flat on the surface and close my eyes, allowing every sensation to rip through me like a tornado, twisting and churning until it’s just me and him and this incredible friction between us, building into a storm.
“Fuck.” The tempest carries me to a faraway enchanted land as my orgasm crests. “Adam.”
He pounds even harder and faster until I can’t breathe. I can only strain against his erection as it impales me again and again.
My mind frays at the edges—Fuck.
I’m coming apart at the seams.
Adam pulls almost all the way out, and then as he plunges deeper than ever, he cries out. “Shit. Fuck. YES!”
His cock pulses inside me. Cum fills me with even more heat as his hands pull me tighter to his groin.
The muscles in my pussy answer his throbbing erection with my own spasms, milking every drop of cum from him as he stands behind me, his hands flexing at my hips.
Neither of us moves. I relax across my desk while Adam’s erratic breathing calms, until finally, our bodies slide apart. He drops into my chair, pulling me with him to sit on his lap.
Tucking me into his embrace, he cradles me close to him, his heart still thumping against his ribs.”That was—I didn’t think—”
“Think what?” I sit up and pull away.
He glances down at his cock. It’s not as hard as it was a few minutes ago, yet it’s still impressive.
“You didn’t think you’d come again? After last night? I’m fairly certain we’ve fixed your problem.”
H
e closes his eyes and draws in another deep breath, with an almost imperceptible shake of his head. “Not what I meant.”
I pinch his nipple lightly. “Then what is it, for Pete’s sake?”
He grabs my hand and pulls it to his mouth, laying a kiss on my knuckles. “No condom.”
The warmth of a moment ago fades like an arctic blast has blown into the room.
Fuck.
SIXTEEN
Kelsey’s wide eyes narrow right before she jumps off my lap and runs to the bathroom.
I follow her, but the door locks. The shower comes on.
Damn it to hell.
The very first time, in all these months, that I’ve fucked without a wrapper, and I bust a nut. Murphy must fucking hate me.
Placing my hands on either side of the bathroom door frame, I wait with my head hung low.
I have to say something to her, but what?
Yesterday, as I cut the hair from my jaw and lathered my face with shaving cream, all I could think about was how it was what she’d want. That I needed to not disappoint Kelsey when she realized I was NextDoor. The beard didn’t make me a man any more than an unblemished cock would. What getting rid of the beard would do is show her that she matters to me.
She seemed to like it. She said she liked my face. Said I was dashing—whatever the fuck that means—but it doesn’t really matter. She seemed to think it’s a good thing, so I’ll take it.
And now I’ve fucked it up. I got carried away, thinking only about how good she’d feel sheathing my fucking cock. I should’ve been thinking about protecting her.
Now she’s probably worse than disappointed. She’s probably pissed.
And who could blame her?
When the shower turns off a few minutes later, I straighten up and pull away from the door. I don’t want to scare the shit out of her when she opens it—on top of everything else.
The bathroom door creaks.
My heart hitches as Kelsey comes out wrapped in a fluffy pink robe, her hair twisted up in a towel. I open my mouth, but I still don’t have a clue what to say or how to say it, so I shut it before I make an ass of myself.
She pushes past me. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“Nope.” I sit on the edge of the bed.
“Well, I have things to do, so you should probably go.” Her voice is neutral, but not in a good way.
My gut hollows. “Okay. I’ll go, but—look, I’m sorry. It’s been months and months, and I’ve been with a lot of g—I mean, I’ve tried a lot, and it’s only ever happened that one time, last night. I wasn’t thinking.”
She turns toward her dresser and yanks the towel off her head, running her fingers through her wet hair.
Her reflection’s gaze finds mine from the mirror. “It’s fine. I’m a big girl. I said I wanted it just like that. So you’re in the clear. No worries. This is on me.”
I step behind her and pull her against me. “For all I know, I could be shooting blanks. I mean, I was injured, and things were cut deep.”
She cocks her head, giving me a skeptical look.
“The doctors said it’s a possibility that scar tissue would form and I wouldn’t—that I might not be—fuck.” I push my fingers through my hair. “They said I could be unable to—you know, father a child.”
Saying the words aloud for the first time clogs my throat; I cough to clear it.
She takes my hands and pulls my arms from around her. “Okay. Thanks for telling me. I’m sure it’ll be fine. Like I said, no worries.”
“Kelsey—”
She turns to me, flattens her hands on my chest, and gives me a push. “Adam, just go.”
I back out through the front door dragging a tarp filled with broken pieces of sheetrock and torn out insulation. Half-way down the walk, I stop.
A little girl stands on the sidewalk at the end of my driveway, staring.
Dropping the corner of my load, I turn to her.
Her strawberry hair is a tangled mess, even though her clothes seem clean enough. Her little arms hang loose at her sides. She seems familiar, but I don’t remember seeing her around the neighborhood.
I continue dragging the trash to the dumpster I’ve rented while I gut the interior of the house. The girl’s gaze never leaves me.
Once I finish tossing the crap into the bin, I check the area to see if there’s an adult anywhere that belongs to this kid. I give her a smile.
“Hey, how are you? I’m Adam. Where’s your mom or dad?” I squat in place, avoiding approaching, so I don’t frighten her. Though, she looks anything but afraid.
Rosy cheeks dimple as her smile widens. She points to Kelsey’s place.
Oh. Yeah. I knew she looked familiar.
Kelsey’s got pictures of this kid all over her house. Wonder if Kelsey knows she’s outside by herself.
I stand and hold out my hand. “C’mon. I’ll take you to your mom before she gets worried.”
Her tiny, warm hand slips into mine, as easy as you please. Glad she didn’t happen upon some creeper guy instead of me.
She stops at a little, flowered suitcase with wheels lying on its side on the grass right next to the sidewalk.
I nab the bag and lead her up the walk next door.
As I lift my fist to knock, a male voice booms from inside, “To hell with this.”
The girl cringes as she latches onto my leg, her little arms holding tightly as she peeks around my thigh. Doe eyes look up at me as though she expects me to fix it.
Something in my heart trips over itself.
Then the man says, “Fuck this shit. I’m out of here. You can take that kid and shove her up your ass. I’m not paying a dime. I’d rather quit my job and live on the fucking street.”
I bang on the door, probably a little harder than I need to. But I don’t want whatever’s going on in there to escalate before I get between Kelsey and whoever-the-fuck is yelling at her—her ex, from the sound of it.
A couple of muffled comments come through the door as Kelsey opens it.
Her eyes widen, and when she looks down, her jaw drops. “Clarissa, what are you doing with Adam?”
A tatted-up, blond guy pushes past Kelsey but stops short before he tries to plow through me. He looks me up and down, probably assessing whether I’m a threat.
Let him lay a hand on Kelsey, and he’ll find out what kind of threat I am.
He’s no wimp, and he’s about my size, but I’ve got no doubt I could take him.
I push little Clarissa behind me and invite the guy to pass. “Don’t let me block your exit. Sounds like it’s well past time you left.”
His glare hardens for a moment before he looks over his shoulder at Kelsey. “You know this guy?”
Kelsey reaches for Clarissa, gently maneuvering her inside. “Yes. This is Adam, my—my neighbor. Adam, this is Matt, my ex.”
Matt strides down the walk toward his car.
I call out to him, “Why didn’t you tell me you had Clarissa with you? And you left her in the yard?”
A wave of his hand high in the air is the only acknowledgement I get that he even heard what I said.
I pick up Clarissa.
“Sweet girl, I missed you.” I give her loud smooches on her cheek and snuggle my face into her neck.
She smells a little sweaty and sour. Matt must’ve had her for the night and failed to make sure she got a bath.
I don’t give a crap about her not having a bath, but my blood boils that Matt would just leave her to her own devices in the front of the house. There’s no fence to keep her from wandering off and no protection from predators or child molesters.
Adam rocks back on his heels. “So this is your daughter.”
I step inside, waiting for him to follow.
I have to tell him something, especially since he had to bring Clarissa to the door.
Adam trails behind me as I carry Clarissa through to the kitchen. “I’m so sorry you heard that. He’s upset, but that’s no excuse
for him leaving her in the front of the house with no supervision. Where did you find her?”
He shrugs. “She was standing at the end of my drive when I came out to throw some trash away.”
“Thank you for bringing her home.” I set Clarissa on one of the barstools and take some plastic cups from the cabinet.
I mix up some lemonade. “Matt is less than enthusiastic about P-A-Y-ing child support. He came to discuss the arrangement.”
Adam holds his hands up, palms out. “I’m not asking for explanations. It’s really none of my business.”
No. I guess it’s not. And if he isn’t asking, then he probably doesn’t want to know.
I nod once. “All-righty then. I’ve got to get her bathed and it’s about nap-time, so thanks again. Feel free to let yourself out. We’ll see you around.”
I pick Clarissa up and head to the bathroom to get her cleaned up. The entire time I’m bathing and dressing her, I thank my lucky stars I didn’t let myself fall for Adam.
It’s better all the way around. For him. For me. For Clarissa.
I tuck in my sweet girl and kiss her forehead. “You sleep for a while and later we’ll have some ice-cream.”
Bribery always seems to work like a charm. She squeezes her eyes closed tight and her little mouth bows into a smile.
I grab the towels and drop them in the laundry room floor on my way back to the kitchen, coming up short when I get to the end of the hallway.
Adam sits in the living room.
With my fingers pressed to the fluttering in my stomach, I say, “You didn’t go home.”
“I almost did, but then I thought about what I said.” He stands and walks toward me. “When I said it’s none of my business, I was only letting you know that you don’t have to give me any explanations. I didn’t mean I’m not interested in what’s going on in your life.”
I bite my bottom lip.
Does that mean he does want to know? Should I tell him all the crap that makes up my life? Hell, should I tell him about even a part of the shit show that is my world?
Adam steps to me, he’s even sweatier than Clarissa, but, instead of sour, his scent is spicy—manly.
So Long: Bad Boy Next Door Page 15
